Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole
Published
If you love the gooey sweetness of a cinnamon roll but want to skip the work of baking individual rolls, this casserole is for you. Cubes of gluten-free bread are soaked in a rich mix of eggs, milk, and vanilla, then layered with brown sugar and cinnamon for that classic flavor everyone loves. A buttery crumb topping and simple vanilla glaze make it extra special. It is a warm, comforting breakfast that feels indulgent yet easy enough for any weekend morning or holiday brunch. And there’s even a way to make it dairy-free!
“Absolutely delicious! The aroma while it was cooking was heavenly. Best ever Cinnamon Roll!”
– Darla
My husband’s favorite breakfast is French Toast, and mine is cinnamon rolls, so I turn to this easy cinnamon roll French toast casserole. The smell of cinnamon and vanilla fills the kitchen, and I don’t have to work too hard to put it together. Cubes of gluten-free bread are soaked in a sweet custard, then layered with brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter for that classic cinnamon roll flavor. I like to bake it until golden and drizzle it with a simple vanilla glaze right before serving. It’s perfect for holidays, family brunches, or slow Sunday mornings when you want something cozy and homemade.
Gluten-Free Baking Tips
- Prevent a soggy center. If the middle turns out too soft, the egg-to-bread ratio may be too high or the dish too deep. Reduce the liquid slightly or bake a few minutes longer.
- For doughy cinnamon roll pieces. Cut the rolls into smaller ¼-inch slices so they bake evenly. If the top browns too quickly, cover with foil after 20–25 minutes.
- Make ahead. This casserole can be made ahead of time (even overnight) and refrigerated before baking, but do not add the crumb topping until right before baking.
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
Bottom Layer
- 1 loaf gluten-free bread , toasted
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Egg Mixture
- 6 large eggs, whisked
- 2 cups milk, dairy-free use almond, cashew or coconut milk
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour, I like Pillsbury gluten-free
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp milk, dairy-free use almond, cashew or coconut milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Cut one loaf of the gluten-free bread into small pieces.
- Spread the gluten-free bread pieces evenly on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes, until nicely toasted. Please watch your oven because all ovens are different. Remove from the oven when toasted and set aside.
- Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with gluten-free cooking spray.
- In a small bowl mix together the ½ cup of brown sugar and tablespoon of ground cinnamon. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture on the bottom of the 9×13 pan. Add the toasted bread pieces over the top of the brown sugar mixture.
- In a large measuring cup or medium-sized bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, granulated sugar, pure vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon until well blended. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread pieces.
Crumb Topping
- In a small bowl add the gluten-free flour, brown sugar, salt, ground cinnamon, and melted butter and mix until crumbly. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Bake for 1 hour on the middle rack. You can see if it is done by inserting a toothpick into the center of casserole and see if it comes out clean. You will also see the sides of the casserole pulling away from the sides of the pan when it is done. The casserole will also be firm and not jiggly when it's done. Please watch your casserole because all ovens are different.
Glaze
- Mix all of the ingredients of the glaze together in a small bowl until it’s nice and smooth. Allow the casserole to cool a few minutes before drizzling glaze on it and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Double the recipe and bake it in a 13×9-inch or 15×10-inch dish. You may need to add 5–10 minutes to the bake time; check the center for doneness.
- Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts on before baking to add crunch and flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole Step by Step
Gather the ingredients: Gather all the ingredients together and preheat your oven to 350°F.
Toast the bread: Cut 1 loaf of gluten-free bread into small cubes, then spread them evenly on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 5–10 minutes, until nicely toasted and lightly golden. Keep a close eye since all ovens vary. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
Prepare the baking dish and bottom layer: Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with gluten-free cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup packed brown sugar and 1 tbsp ground cinnamon until well combined. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the toasted bread cubes over the brown sugar layer.
Mix the egg custard: In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together 6 large eggs, 2 cups milk (use almond, cashew, or coconut milk for dairy-free), ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract, and 1 tsp ground cinnamon until smooth and well combined. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread pieces, pressing gently so the bread absorbs the custard.
Make the crumb topping: In a small bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour (I like Pillsbury gluten-free), ½ cup packed brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and ¼ tsp salt. Stir in ½ cup melted unsalted butter until the mixture becomes crumbly. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top of the casserole.
Bake the casserole: Bake on the middle rack for 1 hour, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The sides should pull away slightly from the pan, and the center should be firm, not jiggly. Keep an eye on it since oven times can vary.
Make the glaze: While the casserole cools slightly, whisk together 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, and 2 tbsp milk (use almond, cashew, or coconut milk for dairy-free) in a small bowl until smooth.
Finish and serve: Drizzle the glaze evenly over the warm casserole before serving. Enjoy it warm for breakfast or brunch!
Serving Suggestions
This cinnamon roll French toast casserole is best served warm, right out of the oven, when the glaze is still slightly melty and the edges are golden and crisp. I love to serve it alongside crustless zucchini quiche for a well-rounded brunch. It’s perfect for holiday mornings, brunch with friends, or a cozy weekend breakfast. For a little extra indulgence, add a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of maple syrup before serving.
Storage Instructions
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30–45 seconds or warm the whole dish in a 325°F oven for about 10–15 minutes until heated through.
If you’d like to freeze it, wrap slices tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The casserole keeps its flavor and texture best when reheated in the oven rather than the microwave.
This casserole can be made ahead of time and refrigerated before baking, but do not add the crumb topping until right before baking. To prep the night before: after cutting and combining everything through Step 4, cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, bake as directed (you may need 5-10 extra minutes).
My loaf of Schar’s GF bread is only 14 oz. Is that the size you used for your recipe? Thanks in advance for this yummy sounding recipe!
Yes, 14 oz 🙂
This was a hit for our Easter brunch! The entire family loved it, even the none GF folks. It tasted like cinnamon rolls but was so much easier to make. After reading some of the reviews about the original recipe being a tad too sweet I ended up cutting the amount of sugar in the egg mixture down to 1/4 cup. This was actually perfect, sweet enough but not too sweet. I will definitely be making this again.
Thanks Lydia! Glad it was a hit 🙂
I have always made a cinnamon roll casserole for Christmas breakfast that uses Pillsbury cinnamon rolls. I was a little skeptical of this recipe but it did not disappoint. Both my husband and son who are not gf loved it. I prepared it the night before and it couldn’t be easier. This will be part of my Christmas breakfast from now on. Thanks so much for the recipe!
This was absolutely delicious! Next time I make it, I’ll try cutting the sugar in half as it is so sweet. Still good! I used a different GF bread and it worked great. Thank you for all of the delicious recipes!
Easy and delicious. special treat
Can you freeze?
Absolutely!
Perfect recipe for brunch parties. I use it everyime to give an option to gluten free, dairy free folks. it’s really delicious. It does have a lot of sugar so I’d like to find ways to reduce that.
Delicious! It was sweet enough that it didn’t need as much glazing as it called for … you could almost skip the glazing! I will maybe add chopped pecans next time, but it was fantastic just the way it is! So many of the gluten free non-dairy recipes look good, but aren’t that great. This one is truly a keeper! Thank you!!
Wondering what you replaced the 6 eggs with to make it dairy free?
Hi Kristen! Eggs are not considered a dairy product, which is why they are used in this recipe. You could try substituting with flax eggs or aquafaba, but I can’t guarantee how it will turn out without testing it.
So, so easy & delicious! Only issue I saw was that whether you clicked on 1x, 2x or 3x recipe, the instructions indicated a 13x9x2 pan. That seems to fit the 2x recipe perfectly. Thinking might need 8″ square for 1x & perhaps roaster pan for 3x?
Thank you,
Hi Nancy, the pan indicated on the recipe unfortunately does not automatically scale with the ingredients. a 9×13 pan is recommended for 1x recipe. For a larger recipe, we would recommend 2 pans.
Made for Christmas and it was so yummy!
I used gluten free raisin cinnamon bread and Oat Nog instead of regular oat milk. Super yummy.
Best gluten free recipe I’ve ever made! Everyone loved it!😊
Very good. Very tasty.
This was excellent! My whole family loved it! They said it tasted just like cinnamon rolls. I used Canyon Bakehouse whole grain bread because that’s what I had. Next time I may try using cinnamon raisin bread. I substituted coconut sugar for the brown sugar and half of the cane sugar, I used regular milk and butter since we are not currently dairy free. I made it up the night before so the egg mixture could really soak into the bread and it would be quicker to make in the morning.
YUMMY! I had to improvise while at my father-in-law’s home for Easter. I used a loaf of gf Hawaiian bread I found at Walmart and had to sub maple syrup for vanilla in the glaze because I ran out, but it all worked out. My gosh was this tasty! Thank you!
Just tried this recipe today in hopes it was good so I could make it for our gluten free Easter brunch and it was DELICIOUS!!!! I even subbed coconut sugar for the granulated sugar to cut back a tad on refined sugar and it didn’t lack sweetness at all!! I’m so excited about this! Thank you 🙂
OMG! This is sooo good! And even though I was a little intimidated by the number of steps, it was pretty easy and straightforward. Thank you!.
I made this for Christmas breakfast and it was so good! I prepared most of it the night before to save time in the morning. I used a package of Udi bagels since that is what I had on hand.
Made this tonight with almond milk. So good. I decided to have it for desert with some vanilla ice cream, hot Carmel and whipped cream!! Delishes. This will be a keeper.
So easy and good!The smell of the cinnamon and brown sugar baking is so homey. ❤️
Absolutely delicious! The aroma while it was cooking was heavenly. Best ever Cinnamon Roll! I followed the recipe. I did use raw sugar instead of granulated sugar. My go to recipe for cinnamon rolls!
Best holiday breakfast recipe ever!! Thanks for such a great GF tasting, easy, and versatile recipe. ❤️ I made mine GF, DF, and reduced sugar. Still turned out amazing!! 😃
My first attempt at making this dairy free thanks to your luscious recipe! My daughters baby has milk allergy and she’s nursing so we needed a dairy free alternative What luscious cinnamony scrumptiousness ! Thanks for helping us have a delicious pre Easter 🐣 breakfast!
Hello! This is such an amazing treat, thank you for a great dairy free, gluten free recipe. Wondering if anyone has tried making it with oat milk as I was thinking about trying that next time.
Excellent! Would be fantastic with some vanilla ice cream. Next time I’ll probably add walnuts!
Delicious!! Made this for Christmas brunch and my family LOVED it! Everyone had a second serving and couldn’t believe it was gluten free! My son said “Mama does know” lol Will definitely be making again. So yummy!!!
Best. Brunch. Ever. I threw this together the night before for an easy Easter brunch. Perfect! Delicious. And so easy! This recipe is a keeper! I followed the instructions with no changes, and it’s perfect as-is. I’ll to it again, maybe as a special birthday breakfast next time.
SO GOOD! Made it for Christmas morning, and all the non-GF folks picked it over their coffee cake. Will definitely be the new traditional holiday breakfast!
I made the Gluten/Dairy Free recipe just as it is, and it was delicious!! Rave reviews from my family!
Delicious! Made for Valentine’s Day and it was a hit! I haven’t had anything like this since before I had to go gluten-free!
Thank you so much for the awesome 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the Frech toast casserole and that it was a hit. Thanks again!
Love this recipe. Made last year for Christmas breakfast and can’t wait to make it again this year for Christmas morning. Thanks for this recipe! ^_^
This was excellent. I did use gf Hawaiian bread instead of schar. Also, I used 1 C milk and 1 C egg not. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Thank you so much Carleen for the awesome 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the cinnamon roll french toast casserole. I have not tried it with the Hawaiian bread, but I bet it was delicious. You are so welcome I love sharing the recipes I make for my family. Thank again!
So easy to make! Over half the pan was gone!
Highly recommend!
Thank you so much WSendy for the awesome 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the casserole, it was easy to make, and you highly recommend the recipe. Thanks again!
This was so delicious. It’s been years since I has French toast because of avoiding gluten. This recipe made me happy and not feel deprived of one of my favorite special morning breakfasts.
Thank you so much Nicole for the 5-str recipe review, it really made my day! It makes my heart so happy that you can enjoy one of your favorite breakfast again. Thanks again!
Has anyone made this in a crock-pot?
Hi Jessica! I have not tried it in a crock-pot. If you try it will you please let me know how it turns out?
This was so easy, and the leftovers reheated well. I added some toasted chopped pecans to the crumb topping, and it was delicious!
Thank you so much Laura for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the cinnamon roll french toast casserole. I am glad that the recipe was easy and reheated well. I love pecans and I need to try adding them to the crumb topping. Thank you again!
Again, you have outdone yourself!!! This is amazing! Thank you for sharing, I can’t wait for the family to try it when they get home. Bringing this for our family Christmas brunch.
We loved it! It was delicious fresh and still just as good warmed up the next day. Perfect for a sweet breakfast treat.
I am loving all of your recipes! 🙂
Thank you so much Alexis for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the breakfast casserole. Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement!
Easy recipe and everyone loved it!
Thank you so much Helena for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the cinnamon roll french toast casserole and found the recipe to be easy. Thank you again!
This French Toast is the absolute best!!!! Thank you for sharing so many delicious GF recipes. You make life better!!!????
Thank you so much Lynn for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the cinnamon roll french toast casserole. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thank you again!
We had this for Christmas morning this last Christmas. Yum, Yum, Yum…….It is an incredibly delicious recipe and when you do it the night before….so simple to pop in the oven and bake off. I followed the directions given for the dairy free version…..Divine!!!!!!
Thank you so much Laurie for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the cinnamon roll french toast casserole. I make it dairy-free for my family also. Thanks again!
I made this diary and gluten free. I put it together Christmas Eve and then baked it Christmas morning. It was sooo good! Several people in my family have to eat gluten free and another is dairy free. She never is able to eat the casseroles we prepare so I wanted to make sure she could this year! She absolutely loved it! I will definitely be making this again and trying out other recipes as well. Thanks again Audrey for all you do!
Thank you so much Katie for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed the casserole fro Christmas morning. It makes my heart so happy. I hope you enjoy the other recipes that you try. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thank you again!
Used the family as Guinea pigs Christmas morning!! They LOVED it!!!!!!!!! Made it the night before and it was easy to make. Will be making this again
Thank you so much Carol for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that your family enjoyed the casserole and it was easy to make, especially the night before. Thank you again!
I made this on Christmas Eve, stored in the fridge then baked it Christmas morning. It was delicious and a huge hit for my husband who has CD and non gf family. We enjoyed it so much. The directions were excellent!
Thank you so much Lynn for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you and your family enjoyed the cinnamon roll french toast casserole and that you found the recipe easy to follow. Thank you again for taking the time to leave me a recipe review!
I made this Christmas morning and it was delicious. The recipe and pictures were easy to follow. Her tips and suggestions were right on point. This recipe went straight into my recipe book. It would be the perfect dish to bake and share at any get together. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Thank you Hollie for the amazing star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the casserole and found the recipe easy to follow and the tips helpful. You are so welcome I love sharing what I make for my family. You really made my day! Thanks again!
This was a HUGE hit. I would definitely make this again. Cinnamon bun meets french toast. Lovely recipe! Christmas Day ritual coming up.
Thank you so much Kelly for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you all enjoyed the casserole. Christmas morning traditions are the best! Thank you again!
We made this for Christmas this morning and it was amazing! Everyone enjoyed it and went back for seconds!!!
Thank you so much Lisa for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that everyone enjoyed the casserole. It’s one of my family’s favorites. Thanks again!
I am planning on baking this Christmas morning!
I hope you enjoy it! My family loves this recipe. It will be perfect for Christmas morning. Wishing you a blessed Christmas!